Learn From Vern: Vases

Vern Yip of Live in Vern's House shares his best tips with HGTV Magazine for picking the perfect container.

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Perfect Choice Every Time

For a no-fail shape that makes any flower look good, try a trumpet vase. It flares out at the top, so stems always fall in a pretty cluster. Fiesta 9 3/4"H x 4"-diameter vitrified china vase in sunflower, $62, kohls.com

Quality Picks

A well-made vase should be at least 1/8-inch thick, and it should have some heft to it so it doesn’t topple over when you fill it with water and flowers. Bliss 3 1/2"W x 6"D x 7"H glass vase in peridot square, $36.50, chive.com

Varying Heights

Vase heights range from just a few inches to well over two feet. Any vase you use on a dining table should be no more than a foot tall so you can see the people sitting across from you. Free-Form Art 13 1/4"W x 7 3/4"D x 15"H glass vase, $60, pier1.com; Trough Matte Aqua 8 1/4"W x 3 3/4"D x 6 1/2"H stoneware vase, $13, cb2.com

Easy Arrangement

Not super confident arranging flowers? Put one or two standout blooms, such as lilies, in a vase with a small mouth for a dramatic look. Lola 10"H x 8"-diameter terra-cotta vase, $45, crateandbarrel.com

Let Blooms Have the Spotlight

If you usually buy brightly colored flowers, stick with a vase in a neutral material like wood, metal, or mercury glass, or try a solid, pale hue so the flowers can be the star. Steven Alan Striped 9 1/2"H x 3 1/2"-diameter earthenware and terra-cotta vase in yellow, $29, westelm.com

Go for Low Maintenance

Clear glass vases are classics, but they require work to look neat. You may need to strip the leaves off the stems, and you should change the water daily so it doesn’t get discolored. Opaque glass, metal, and ceramic are more forgiving. Iittala Colored Aalto 4 3/4"H x 6"-diameter glass vase in dark lilac, $140, macys.com